Quite Shocked ... DH took DS for MMR booster today and the nurse told him..

[Twiglett]

that DS needed to come back in 3 months for another because he needs 2 x MMRs

DS had single vaccinations (the whole course) which are documented in his red book

supposedly, and she called the helpline, these don't count

can anyone explain this...

[Gobbledigook]

Eh?

He had single vaccines at the 13months-ish stage but you've done the triple for his booster?

Not sure, I think it's because they can't rely on the efficacy of the singles so perhaps they see what your ds has had so far as just one lot of jabs?

I don't know actually - could be talking out of my hat!

[Twiglett]

yes he had all 3 as singles up to the age of 2.5 and has just had the MMR today at 4.5 as pre-school booster

DH also said she asked him why we were giving him MMR as booster if we'd decided on singles and wouldn't accept that our opininon has changed over the last 2.5 years

[Aragon]

Think Gobbledigook has got it right. They don't recognise the singles! Bizarre I know.

Don't bother taking him back - he's had all his imms.

[melbob]

Hi Gobbledigook is right.

[Twiglett]

they have no reason at all to doubt the efficacy of the singles (some of which are made in same factory as MMR, all of which are commonly used vaccinations in the rest of the western world)

don't mind them disagreeing with our choice, but this seems dissemination of total cr@p and reduces my belief in the NHS dictates run by govt. policy even further

[uwila]

I'm afraid it's the NHS who isn't making any sense here. I too took DD for single jabs (and will do the same with DS). If someone tells me they don't count, I'll ask them for an immunity test to prove it. And, that comment about why are you there for the mmr after single jabs is particularly offensive. I'm considering the mmr for the booster because it isn't introducing 3 new ingrdients all at once. It;s only boosting what already exists. Also, because I haven't got a money tree for single jabs.

[Twiglett]

We are actually going to give DD MMR for primaries because we fought for her to get the thimerosal-free DTaP (before they changed to five-in-one) and I actually think the mercury might be the problem for children

[Marina]

Could not agree more with your last sentence Twiglett. Ds had singles between 1 and 2 and it was all in his Red Book courtesy of DH2000. We differed in opinion from his HVs but it was all quite amicable. We too have revised our views on MMR safety for our own family (after lots of good advice and pointers from Jimjams) and would have been happy to have a booster for him but reading your post has just reminded me he was never called . And dd, who is 2, and whom we have decided is fine to have the triple, hasn't been called yet either...

[Ladymuck]

Marina, in our PCT you are not "called" for jabs, it is up to the parents to book them. Most of my friends missed their child's 3 year check for the same reason - it is down to the parents to book it!

[bossykate]

same with us. ds is off for his pre-school booster next week, dd will have her mmr. it is down to us to remember. ds never had his 3yr check! oops...

[Ladymuck]

bk, are you taking them both together for their jabs? I remember thinking about this with the boys, but didn't do it in the end - I managed to do them separately.

[henshake]

When DD was getting ready for 1st MMR jab we booked an appointment to discuss it with the DR. I was happy with the info received & she said she wouldn't bother with the booster.

[Twiglett]

no I am sure they need a booster .. definitely .. unless you've had immunity checked

[expatinscotland]

Hen,
She won't bother w/the booster? Do you mean you won't need another consult or she (the GP) won't give it? B/c you do need two uptakes of MMR for maximum effectiveness. I had an MMR back in 1972 (in the US), along w/most other kids there (in the US, kids are not allowed into public schools (or most private ones) w/o proof of vaccination). But in 1988, a measles epidemic spread through several public universities, even tho all the students had to show proof of MMR before matriculating.

It was then that it was realised one uptake is sometimes insufficient and began requiring two, one at about 14 months and the other at around 3 or 4 years of age.

The booster is needed.

[henshake]

Expat
There's chat about getting a test for immunisation do you or anyone else know if this can be done before going for the booster.

The DR meant if her kids were younger (at MMR stage) she wouldn't bother with them having a booster. She will provide a booster if we so wish.

[Twiglett]

but that's been proved to be an unsafe method of vaccination .. there is a reason for the booster

yes you can have a blood test to check immunity but it is not foolproof I believe

[bossykate]

ladymuck, yes, they're both going together, but only because their age difference warrants it, iyswim. it just so happens that ds needs his pre-school booster at the same time dd is coming up for her mmr.

[bossykate]

oh, sorry, not sure if that answers your question... am i worried about them going together because they might upset eachother or get upset when they see the other one getting jabbed? er, no, not at the moment, but this is the first time it's come up, so we might not be doing it again if it all goes pear shaped on the day...

[Jimjams]

the majority of children do not need a pre-school bosster- but without checking you don't know which do. Now if I was going to vax (which I won't ) then I would probably boost at about age 9- so increasing the likelihood of protection during teens when measles gets nasty... (may even give ds2 and ds3 single measles then-0 may not though).

[Jimjams]

you don't need 2 MMR's twiglett- that is biologically complete crap!

[Twiglett]

I bow to your superior knowledge in this jimjams

I thought there was an issue with herd immunity without the booster though .. I am probably wrong on this .. brian not firing on all cylinders today

[Jimjams]

95% get immunity first time round. You need all 3 primary DTP's to get full immunity, but not MMR.

[Jimjams]

And the booster is to catch the 5% that don't- not to give extra immunity to the 95% (in the case of the MMR),

[henshake]

Thanks jimjams and twiglett.